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Ingredients 101: Propolis

Step aside, honey, because there’s a new big thing in the “bee world!” It’s none other than Propolis Extract. If you have oily and acne-prone skin, this ingredient just might be your next best friend. Continue reading to find out the many beauty benefits of Propolis.

What is it?

Honey bees collect the sap of coniferous trees like pine trees and they convert the sap into a sticky resin-like substance by combining it with beeswax.

What does it do?

The bees use propolis like glue by filling in honeycomb crevices with it, holding their hive together and keeping it secured and protected from foreign invaders like other insects.

Propolis also acts as a natural disinfectant against bacteria, which protects the bee larva chambers. It inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungus within the hive and around its structure.

What are the skin care benefits of Propolis?

Propolis assists in balancing, healing, and soothing problematic skin. With its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties, propolis can help speed up the healing time of wounds including acne and sunburns. Since it’s antiseptic, it helps in actively fighting off acne-causing bacteria. Plus, it’s useful in combatting oily skin—which is usually a known culprit for acne! It’s great at keeping your skin hydrated as well—making skin look healthier, smoother, and suppler. It also accelerates the rate of cell growth and decongests pores.

Where can I get Propolis?

There are various beauty contenders that are infused with propolis extract. It can come in the form of face masks to serums and moisturizers, like the IT’S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA PROPOLIS EFFECTOR, P679, which is a highly concentrated ampoule with bee propolis. The PIXI GLOW MIST, P950, is a face mist enriched with 13 natural oils (plus propolis extract!) for glowing, luminous, and smooth skin.

Sources: Byrdie and Beesential

 

Written by:

Maan Fernandez

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Maan loves her a good brow pencil, mascara, tint, and anything pink! She has combination skin, so a trusty oil blotter is all she needs to keep her t-zone in check. She’ll never get too old for a trip to the amusement park, and a half-dozen basket of Garlic Parmesan wings is the key to her tummy!

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